Method Community

Hi,

Having trouble finding the method for importing a list of leads into Method.  I would like the list to populate in the Opportunity Pipeline.

Please Advise.

Thanks,

Hey Robert,

If you run into a problem then we would love to help out. Next time you have a question, please post the message you're getting, this will allow us to troubleshoot it faster for you. If you are trying to import some information into Method, the first step is going to be to download the Method API for excel.

You can find that here

Another file to install would be a Microsoft update, you can find that here

Once you have those installed, follow the instructions located in the Method API. If you are still getting a message, please post it and we will look into it for you.

This should help!

Thanks Ryan.

I have downloaded the MS webtools (not that familiar with them so I am very tenative about using them)

I have read the spreadsheet about using the API, and I have to tell you that there is more information missing from that document than is in that document.

Your document asks me to set up the second sheet in the workbook to reflect the headers of exactly which method field names I want.

Do you all realize that I have no idea of the set of field names in Method?  Its not in the user guide.  I am also building actions without any list of actions.

Frustration level with the program has risen from a 4 to a 7 on a scale of 1-10.

I love what your building, but I am frustrated that I am paying for something that I am not capable of completing because Method released the product without documentation.

Please advise on your thoughts.  Is there a way for me to get any idea of how to customize without bulding the tutorial myself?

Step 3 of your spreadsheet says, "Enter the information"

Enter into what?  At first I created a new worksheet thinking that is what you wanted me to do, but now I am thinking that Webtools has some sort of GUI.   Looked for it in my list of programs (love having a MS addon on my computer without knowing what it does or where it is.) 

So I am stuck here.  Please advise.

Hey Robert,

The "Method API for excel" was created as a sample file for Developers. The reason you had to download the Microsoft tools is because this is a file developers need to have in order to work with the API. Most developers already have these tools installed on their system. Due to the Method API being a sample file for developers, you will not find any advanced documentation on this tool. This was not a tool designed for end users to pick up and start importing with.

If you did want to go ahead and use the sample file to import your information into Method, we will of course answer any questions you may have. We must point out though that this is a developer tool and we do provide basic support on it. All questions should be posted on the Method API forum. you can find that here

Hope this helps.

Ryan,

Thanks for your response.

I was never told that I needed a programmer to use Method.  Amanda emailed me and informed me that unless I was a programmer, this would be too difficult for me.

The sad part is that importing leads is the foundation for any CRM.  I am paying for a CRM solution that is making me enter every lead manually.

Do you have any case studies that show how much a client of Method needs to spend on programming?

FYI to everyone. 

THE API DOCUMENT IS NOT AN INSTRUCTION SHEET.   IT IS THE ACTUAL IMPORT DATASHEET.

THE BUTTON ON THE FIRST PAGE IS THE ACTUAL VB THAT WORKS WITH MS WEB TOOLS TO EXPORT THE DATA FROM YOUR COMPUTER TO METHOD.

THE LIST OF HEADERS ON PAGE 2 ARE THE DATA FIELDS YOUR DATA IS BEING MAPPED TO.

STILL WAITING TO HEAR IF THE DATA CAN BE MANAGED (MAPPED) OR IF YOU HAVE TO MANUALLY ENTER EACH NEW LEAD TO MATCH THE FIELDS LISTED IN THE HEADER. 

I WILL UPDATE THIS THREAD ONCE I FIND OUT

Hi Robert,

I’d like to first thank you for your feedback and for being vocal on the Method User Forums.  We always welcome the feedback from our community and this helps Method to continue to mature and meet the needs of the community.

Regarding the “Sample Import Tool for Excel”, I want to make sure everyone understands what it is and how it was intended to be used. Traditionally, all the data you enter in through Method is done via Method screens (webpage).  If you want to change the interface or data entry format, well you just customize the screens.  Here in lies the beauty of Method.  There are cases where you want to capture data from other sources outside of Method.  This could be another database, your website, another program or even an Excel spreadsheet.  In order for Method users to capture this outside data and somehow get this data into Method, we created the Method API. 

The Method API is not the same as the Method Platform.  The Method API acts like a transportation hub to allow info from other sources into Method.  The API is for the programmer geek who knows and enjoys typing out lines of code(boring).  In fact, if you’re a coder, the API is very easy to code with, based on developer feedback.  Me, I am not a programmer or a coder so I wouldn’t have a clue how to program with the API.  Method, well that’s a different story.  I think of myself as a bit of a guru. 

To help developers using the API, we create sample applications to get them started.  One of those sample applications is the Sample Import Tool for Excel.  This is a fully working sample application that was developed using the API.  Any developer that wanted to take a look at this tool, see the how it was built and tweak it can do so.  It is open source for that exact reason.  However, it also works as is and allows you to import data into a Method table.  The very first page and tab you see when you open the Excel spreadsheet gives you detailed, 1, 2, 3, etc. steps on how to import your data. 

Steps 1 – 5, shown in the diagram below tell you what tools you need to install and data the tool requires.  Yes, the tool does ask you to install Microsoft Office Tools but keep in mind this was meant for developers who probably have this installed already.  In step 5, you are asked to click on “Records for Import” and there is a tab for it located at the very bottom.



Steps 6 – 8, shown in the diagram below tell you how to setup your fields and information and last but not least a button to import the information. 

Had we had the import ability built right in Method, it probably would have been in a wizard format, just as you would expect from Method.  This might be something we add in the future based on feedback.  However, this was developed as a tool to assist developers to get started.

While this is a developer tool, we had Method users who wanted to use the tool instead of creating their own and therefore made it available to whoever wanted to use it. 

I really hope this helps to clear up any confusion and hope that in the future we can have an easier Method to get your outside data into Method. 

We value your continued feedback.  Have a super day!

Danny

Perfect explanation Danny.

Thank you very much.

I did take a look at the code in the macro.  It is looking for the headers as the variables and the fields below the headers as the data until it reaches an empty field.  I still need to identify how it maps to the fields in the Opportunity Pipeline, or if the import actually sets up the fields for me in Method.

Please advise.